General Mills (GIS)

NEW ACCOUNTING RULES

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment,” in December 2004, which will require the cost of employee compensation paid with equity instruments to be measured based on grant-date fair values and recognized over the vesting period. In April 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced the adoption of a new rule that amends the compliance dates for SFAS No. 123(R). The new rule allows companies to implement SFAS No. 123(R) at the beginning of their fiscal year that begins after June 15, 2005. Under the new rule, SFAS No. 123(R) will become effective for us in the first quarter of fiscal 2007. We are still evaluating the impact of adopting SFAS 123(R) on our consolidated financial statements.

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In November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 151, “Inventory Costs – An Amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4.” SFAS No. 151 clarifies the accounting for abnormal amounts of idle facility expense, freight, handling costs, and wasted material (spoilage). SFAS No. 151 is effective for the fiscal year beginning after June 15, 2005, and is effective for us in the first quarter of fiscal 2007. We do not expect SFAS No. 151 to have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition.

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153, “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets – An Amendment of APB Opinion No. 29.” SFAS No. 153 eliminates the exception from fair value measurement for nonmonetary exchanges of similar productive assets and replaces it with an exception for exchanges that do not have commercial substance. SFAS No. 153 is effective for the first fiscal period beginning after June 15, 2005, and is effective for us in the second quarter of fiscal 2006. We do not expect SFAS No. 153 to have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition.

In December 2004, the FASB issued Staff Position No. 109-2, “Accounting and Disclosure Guidance for the Foreign Earnings Repatriation Provision within the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004,” (FSP No. 109-2). FSP No. 109-2 provides guidance with respect to recording the potential impact of the repatriation provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (the Jobs Act) on income tax expense and deferred tax liability. FSP No. 109-2 includes a one year reduced tax rate on repatriation of foreign earnings and a phased-in tax deduction provided for qualifying domestic production activities. We are currently evaluating the impact of repatriation provisions as Treasury guidance is provided. However, the range of reasonably possible amounts of unremitted earnings that is being considered for repatriation in fiscal year 2006 is between $0 and $60 million with the respective income tax impact ranging from $0 to $3 million based on a 5.25 percent tax rate.

In March 2005, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 47, “Accounting for Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations,” (FIN 47). FIN 47 requires that liabilities be recognized for the fair value of a legal obligation to perform asset retirement activities that are conditional on a future event if the amount can be reasonably estimated. We will adopt FIN 47 at the end of fiscal 2006 and do not expect it to have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition.